Clothes washer



Nov. 15, 1966 c. E. ERICKSON l 3,285,036

CLOTHES WASHER Filed April 22, 1965 'Lig' 44 B 54 ,.n!"

,/I/ 'ulllllllllllllllll 56 38 40 58 '/70 a l -fr Flasher Fill Conlrol v Apporolus 93e INVENTOR. Clifford E. Erickson www@ ATTorney United States Patent O 3,285,036 CLOTHES WASHER Clifford E. Erickson, Chicago, Ill., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Filed Apr. 22, 1965, Ser. No. 450,008 4 Claims. (Cl. 68-12) This invention relatesv to an improvement in automatic clothes washing machines. More specifically, it relates to such a machine having indicating means operative when the washing machine is in a cycle of operation and the access door is open.

The operation of an automatic clothes washing machine is ordinarily controlled by cam-operated switches driven by an electric timer motor. The cam-operated switches control the energization of the various components such as a `drive motor, and solenoid valves (which regulate the admission, and sometimes the discharge, of water into and from the washer tub).

A typical automatic clothes washer cycle might include the following functions in the following order; fill, agitate, drain, spin, fill, algitate, drain and spin. Some of these functions are often followed by an interim period, or pause, during which the clothes basket is at rest and there is no admission or discharge of water from the tub. If someone should open `the access door during one of these interim periods, it might appear that the washer cycle has been completed, whereupon the person might remove the clothes from the washer. This would, of course, be objectionable, particularly should it occur immediately after the washing operation but before any rinsing.

There is the further point that, particularly in coinoperated laundries open to the public, washing machines are customarily arranged so that the entire mechanism shuts off when the door is opened, except for the program timer, i.e., the cycle control, which keeps operating. In such a case, the yperson using the machine will lose much of the benefit if the machine lid should be allowed to remain open through inadvertence. It thus becomes a matter of substantial importance to make sure that persons using coin-operated laundry machines are made aware of the fact that the time for their use of the machine is running out without any useful object being attained.

It is an object of this invention to provide a washing machine having a signal which will clearly indicate to an automatic clothes washer operator that the access door is open and that a washing cycle is in progress.

My objective is accomplished in accordance with this invention, in one form thereof, by providing an automatic clothes washer with a switch actuated by the opening and closing of the access door on the clothes washer which energizes an electrical signal of the audio-visual type (i.e., audible, visible, or both) if a cycle of operation is in progress.

Other objects and further details of that which is believed to be novel in the invention will be clear from the following description and claimsv taken with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective View of an automatic clothes washer provided with a signal arrangement constructed in accordance with this invention, a portion of which is removed to show an actuator for a door-operated switch, and another portion of which is removed to show the clothes basket drive mechanism.

3,285,036 Patented Nov. 15, 1966 ice vFIG. 2 is a partial sectional view taken along the line 2-2 in FIG. 1, to show the construction of the door actuated switch.

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram for a clothes washer loading signal arrangement constructed in accordance with this invention.

The automatic clothes washing machine 10 is provided with a generally rectangular housing 12. Located within an upper portion of the housing 12 is an upstanding clothes basket 14, shown by dotted lines. The upper portion of the rectangular housing 12 is separated from a lower por-tion by a bulk head 16 which is shown in cross-section. The lower portion of the housing 12 is occupied by the washing machine drive mechanism.

This drive mechanism includes a drive .motor 1-8, and a transmission which is enclosed within a housing 20. The transmission housing 20 and a pulley sheave 22 are both mounted within a rectangular support structure 24. The drive motor 18 is provided with an output shaft 28 upon which is secured a pulley sheave 26. Pulley sheaves 22 and 26 receive a llexible V-belt 30. The upstanding clothes basket 14, and a vertical agitator, the top 34 of which is shown, are driven by the drive motor 18 through the transmission contained with the housing 20. The motor, transmission, basket, and agitator are supported by any conventional means (not shown) for limited gyratory movement within housing 12.

The top wall 36 of the clothes washer housing 12 is provided with an access door 38. The access door 38 is provided with a downwardly extending flange 40 throughout its perimeter. An edge 42 of the ange rests upon a recessed portion 44 of the top wall 36. The access door 38 is attached to the top wall 36 by a pair of hinges 46 and 48. A vertically extending control console 50 is provided at the rear edge of the top wall 36. The control console 50 is provided with a control panel 52, a .portion of which is shown extending from behind the upraised access door 38.

A portion of `the upraised access door 38 is broken away to show a resilient cover 54 which provides a seal over the actuator of a door operated switch 56 mounted in the housing 12 as shown in cross section in FIG. 2. The switch 56 is provided with an insulated reciprocating actuating member 58. A portion of the actuating member 58 extends from a side wall of a rectangular housing 60, which encloses the switch 56, into the resilient cover 54. A stationary insulating member 62 supports three isolated electrical contacts 64, 66 and 68. The reciprocating actuating member 58 supports a bridging contract 70. In order to bias the actuating member 58 to the left in the drawing, washer 72 is secured to actuating member 58, and a helical spring 74 is interposed between the washer 72 and the fixed insulating member 62. When the member 58 is in its leftmost position an abutment 76 on the actuating member abuts a wall 78- of the stationary insulating member.

With the access door 38 closed as is shown in FIG. 2, the door moves actuating member 58 to the right, compressing spring 74 and positioning bridging contact 70 over contacts 66 and 68 to connect contacts 66 and 68 to each other. With the door 38 open, as shown by the dotted lines, the spring 74 moves the actuating member 58 to the left to the position indicated by the dotted lines 80. Contacts 64 and 66 are now connected to each other through the bridging contact 70.

Contacts 64, 66 and 68 are provided with leads 82, 84 and 86, which extend from the switch to the control console mounted within the back-splasher 50. The switch 56 is mounted within the portion of the housing which contains the clothes basket 14, and is therefore exposed to water which may splash from the clothes basket. The leads 82, 84 and 86 are protected in this portion of the housing by a watertight sleeve 87 which extends through a watertight resilient seal formed by the resilient member 88. Member S8 is supported -by a vertical wall of the housing.

Referring to FIG. 3, switch 56 is included in a circuit for energizing an audio-visual type signal in accordance with the invention. The reciprocating actuating member 58is shown engaging the flange 40 of the access door 38. The bridging contact 70 is shown positioned over contacts' 66 and 68. A timer-motor 90 is connected to a 115 Volt A.C. supply through a cam-operated switch 92. A cam 94 which actuates switch 92 is driven by `the timer-motor 90 through a shaft represented by 93.

To initiate a washing cycle of the automatic washer, the operator manually rotates shaft 93 (by any suitable means-schematically shown at 94a in FIG. 3-conventionally provided on panel 52) so as to make cam 94 close switch 92 and thereby energize timer-motor 90. It will be understood that shaft 93 also carries suitable cams such as those shown at 93a and 93b to control the energization of various components of the machine. Thus, for instance, cam 93b may con-trol a switch 93e which is in series with motor 18 so as to control its energization. Similarly, cam 93a may control a switch 93d in series with fill control apparatus, schematically shown at 93e. In the manner well known in the ar-t, as the shaft 93 is slowly rotated by timer motor 90 the cams 93a and 93b cause a suitable opening and closing switch sequence which is effective to provide the desired sequence of operations of the components of the washing machine.

It will further be understood that at the same time cam 94 is rotating from a start position, in which switch 92 is initially closed, to a finish position'at which switch 92 is opened. This period of closure of switch 92 comprises the entire washing cycle; the openings and closings of switches 93C and 93d occur during the period. 'I'he timer motor 90, the cams, switches, and manual control therefor, make up the program, or cycle, control apparatus for machine 10.

With the manual control 94a having been used to rotate shaft 93 to cause switch 92 to be closed, and with the access door 38 in its closed position, the cams 93a and 93b are effective to cause a suitable sequence of washing, spinning and rinsing operations to be provided during the cycle.

The control action of the cams 93a and 93b is, of course, dependent on the bridging of contacts 66 and 68 of switch 56 by bridging contact 70, since these contacts are in series with the cam controlled switches 93C and 93d. When contacts 66 and 68 are so bridged, the third contact 64 is disconnected from contact 66. Contact 64 is connected in series with a flasher lamp 100, which may be of the conventional type, flashing on and off cyclically. An audible clicking sound may also be provided at the same time by the same structure. Thus, when the access door 38 is closed to enable machine operation, as shown, flasher 100 is not energized since the necessary circuit completion between contacts 64 and 66 is not effected.

When the door 38 is opened the actuating member 58 will move to the left, under the action of the biasing spring 74, and the bridging contact 70 will disconnect contact 68 and connect contacts 64 and 66. With cam-operated switch 92 still closed, indicating that a washing cycle is in progress, the flasher 100 will be connected across the 115 volt A.C. supply. The flashing light of apparatus 100 will indicate that the door 38 has been opened during an incompleted washing cycle. The lamp portion of apparatus 100 may be conveniently located behind a translucent panel 102 (FIG. l) upon which an appropriate warning such as opaque letters forming the word ON may 4.- be formed. The flashing of panel 102 indicates to the operator that the access door 38 has been opened during an incompleted washing cycle. In addition, the apparatus may provide an audible alarm, as mentioned above.

In accordance with this invention, by providing a door actuated switch and an indicating device, the operator of an automatic clothes washer is conveniently provided with an indication of when the access door has been opened during an incompleted washing cycle.

While a particular embodiment of the invention has been shown, other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and it is intended to cover by the appended claims all embodiments falling within the scope thereof.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In an automatic electric clothes washing machine comprising a housing provided with an access door for gaining access to a clothes basket within the' housing:

(a) apparatus for providing the functions required for a washing cycle within said washing machine;

(b) a circuit for enabling connection of said apparatus across a source of power;

(c) program control means for causing energization through said circuit of said apparatus within a predetermined period of time and in a predetermined manner to provide a washing operation, said means including a first switch connected in series with said circuit, said first switch when closed being effective to initiate said predetermined period of time and being opened to end said predetermined period of time;

(d) a second switch including a switch actuator disposed adjacent the door so as to be actuated by the door, said second switch moving from a first position when the door is closed to a second position when the door is open; and

(e) an electric indicating device of the audio-visual type connected in series with said first switch and with said second position of said second switch, whereby when said first switch is closed and said second switch is in its second position said indicating device is energized, 'but when said second switch is in its first position, said indicating device is not energized.

2. The structure defined in claim 1 wherein said electric indicating device includes an electric lamp.

3. The structure defined in claim 2 wherein said washing machine includes an upstanding control console, and said lamp is positioned within said console.

4. In an automatic electric clothes washing machine comprising a housing provided with an access door for gainmg access to a clothes basket within the housing and having clothes washing means within the basket:

(a) apparatus within said housing for providing the functions required for a washing cycle including a drive motor for causing the different mechanical steps of a washing operation to be performed within said basket;

(b) a circuit for enabling connection of said apparatus across a source of power;

(c) program control means including a timer motor and being arranged to initiate energization of said timer motor and then to terminate energization of said timer motor a predetermined period later, said program control means being arranged to cause energization of said apparatus through said circuit within said predetermined period and in a predetermined manner to provide a washing operation;

(d) said program control means including a first switch connected in series with said circuit, said rst switch when closed being effective to initiate said predetermined period of time and being opened to end said predetermined period of time;

(e) a single pole double throw switch positioned to be actuated by the access door, said double throw switch having a first position when the door is closed and a `second position when the door is open, and being said double throw switch whereby, when the door is connected in series with said first switch; and open and said indicating device is energized, said (f) an electric indicating device connected in series dfVe IIIOOTS Cie-energizedwith said first switch and with said second position of said double throw switch whereby,' when said first 5 References Clted by the Examiner switch is closed and said double throw switch is in UNITED STATES PATENTS said second position, said electric indicating device 2,707,961 5 /1955 Geiger et 1 134 113 X is energized, said drive motor being connected in series with said switch and said first position of WILLIAM I. PRICE, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN AN AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC CLOTHES, WASHING MACHINE COMPRISING A HOUSING PROVIDED WITH AN ACCESS DOOR FOR GAINING ACCESS TO A CLOTHES BASKET WITHIN THE HOUSING: (A) APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING THE FUNCTIONS REQUIRED FOR A WASHING CYCLE WITHIN SAID WASHING MACHINE; (B) A CIRCUIT FOR ENABLING CONNECTION OF SAID APPARATUS ACROSS A SOURCE OF POWER; (C) PROGRAM CONTROL MEANS FOR CAUSING ENERGIZATION THROUGH SAID CIRCUIT OF SAID APPARATUS WITHIN A PREDETERMINED PERIOD OF TIME AND IN A PREDETERMINED MANNER TO PROVIDE A WASHING OPERATION, SAID MEANS INCLUDING A FIRST SWITCH CONNECTED IN SERIES WITH SAID CIRCUIT, SAID FIRST SWITCH WHEN CLOSED BEING EFFECTIVE TO INITIATE SAID PREDETERMINED PERIOD OF TIME AND BEING OPENED TO END SAID PREDETERMINED PERIOD OF TIME; (D) A SECOND SWITCH INCLUDING A SWITCH ACTUATOR DISPOSED ADJACENT THE DOOR SO AS TO BE ACTUATED BY THE DOOR, SAID SECOND SWITCH MOVING FROM A FIRST POSITION WHEN THE DOOR IS CLOSED TO A SECOND POSITION WHEN THE DOOR IS OPEN; AND (E) AN ELECTRIC INDICATING DEVICE OF THE AUDIO-VISUAL TYPE CONNECTED IN SERIES WITH SAID FIRST SWITCH AND WITH SAID SECOND POSITION OF SAID SECOND SWITCH, WHEREBY WHEN SAID FIRST SWITCH IS CLOSED AND SAID SECOND SWITCH IS IN ITS SECOND POSITION SAID INDICATING DEVICE IS ENERGIZED, BUT WHEN SAID SECOND SWITCH IS IN ITS FIRST POSITION, SAID INDICATING DEVICE IS NOT ENERGIZED. 